''Squamellaria'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of myrmecophytic

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Rubiaceae Rubiaceae () is a family (biology), family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. It consists of terrestrial trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs that are recognizable by simple, opposite leaves with Petiole ( ...

. It includes eight species native to the

Solomon Islands Solomon Islands, also known simply as the Solomons,John Prados, ''Islands of Destiny'', Dutton Caliber, 2012, p,20 and passim is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 1000 smaller islands in Melanesia, part of Oceania, t ...

Vanuatu Vanuatu ( or ; ), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (; ), is an island country in Melanesia located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, east o ...

, and

Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

. It is one of five

ant-plant Myrmecophytes (; literally "ant-plant") are plants that live in a mutualistic association with a colony of ants. There are over 100 different genera of myrmecophytes. These plants possess structural adaptations in the form of domatia where ants ...

genera in the family Rubiaceae, the others being ''

Anthorrhiza ''Anthorrhiza'' is a genus of myrmecophytic flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea, officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is an island country in Oceania that comprises ...

'', ''

Hydnophytum ''Hydnophytum'' is a genus of epiphytic myrmecophytes (ant plants) native to Southeast Asia, the Pacific region and also extending into Queensland in northern Australia. The name is derived from the Ancient Greek ''hydnon'' "tuber", and ''phyton' ...

'', ''

Myrmecodia ''Myrmecodia'' is a genus of Epiphyte, epiphytic plants, present in Indochina, Malesia, Papuasia, and Queensland, Australia. It is one of five ant-plant genera in the family Rubiaceae, the others being ''Anthorrhiza'', ''Hydnophytum'', ''Myrme ...

'', and ''

Myrmephytum ''Myrmephytum'' is a genus of myrmecophytic flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It is distributed from central Malesia to New Guinea. It is one of five ant-plant genera in the family Rubiaceae, the others being '' Anthorrhiza'', '' Hydno ...

''.

Species

Eight species are accepted: *'' Squamellaria grayi'' – Fiji *'' Squamellaria guppyana'' – Solomon Islands *'' Squamellaria huxleyana'' – Fiji *'' Squamellaria imberbis'' ( A.Gray) Becc. – Fiji (

Vanua Levu Vanua Levu (pronounced , , ), formerly known as Sandalwood Island, is the second largest island of Fiji. Located to the north of the larger Viti Levu, the island has an area of and a population of 135,961 . Geology Fiji lies in a tectonic ...

) *''

Squamellaria kajewskii ''Squamellaria'' is a genus of myrmecophytic flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It includes eight species native to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji. It is one of five ant-plant genera in the family Rubiaceae, the others being ''A ...

'' – Solomon Islands ( Bougainville, Santa Isabel) *'' Squamellaria major'' A.C.Sm. – Fiji (

Taveuni Taveuni (pronounced ) is the third-largest island in Fiji, after Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, with a total land area of . The cigar-shaped island, a massive shield volcano which rises from the floor of the Pacific Ocean, is situated east of Vanua ...

: Mt. Manuka) *'' Squamellaria thekii'' Jebb – Fiji *'' Squamellaria vanuatuensis'' – Vanuatu

References

Rubiaceae genera Myrmecophytes Taxa named by Odoardo Beccari Psychotrieae {{Rubioideae-stub